Pyromanic Arcana
by Statyck
Summary: A sheltered young elf is terribly sick. A newly integrated Nightborne thinks he may know how to fix it. If he's lying, Avalia just might kill him.
1. Chapter 1

**I know it's not Illidari but if you could be so kind as to give my little brainworm a chance I'd appreciate it!**

**-Statyck**

/*\

Avalia prowled through Silvermoon, desperately searching the crowd. There were so many people out, and she genuinely couldn't recall the last time she'd seen this many elves in one place. Everyone was chattering about nervously as the sun glinted off the bright red banners above. She couldn't believe it when she'd heard from her friend, but Alleria had returned to the city. She'd gone to talk to Lor'themar, and Avalia wanted a peek up the royal walkway just to see if it was true.

But though she could hear Alleria's voice, her insane proposal louder than it should have been, what she saw was much different. She'd heard of the Nightborne, the people in Suramar who had desperately needed help. There was a woman there, in plain sight but hooded, staring at something Avalia couldn't see. The woman's gaze flickered, and she smiled.

_She saw me. _Avalia thought. She grinned, embarrassed, and waved nervously. The violet woman offered her a smile and a small wave of her hand in return before giving her attention back to the conversation at hand. She was pretty sure they were yelling, though she couldn't quite hear over the din of the crowd. Despite Avalia's best efforts, she couldn't see anything. Alleria's voice had quieted and the violet woman had vanished.

Crestfallen, the young elf stepped back, grumbling and annoyed. No one had seen the eldest Windrunner sister in years. There had been speculation about whether she'd return to Quel'thalas or remain loyal to the Alliance after the Legion's defeat. She supposed that was something: they at least found out what she'd decided. She turned and walked away back home, the tall structures of Silvermoon casting shadows in her path. Despite the brevity of the encounter in the royal chamber, it seemed that night was falling, and Avalia really had no interest in traversing the dead scar in the dark. It was terrifying enough when it was daytime.

/*\

Weeks passed, and Avalia still needed help with her studies. It wasn't that she was bad at magic, no that wasn't it at all. She could recite runes and memorize spells and create whole new arcane matrices of her own. Her intelligence was not the problem. Rather, it was control.

That was why her mother, Mordra, had decided for her. Obviously the traditional Sin'dorei training grounds weren't helping her.

"They're not teaching you how to keep yourself in check, Little Star," her mother had placated, blond hair falling over worried eyes. She sat in the manor with her, just the two of them at the dinner table in an otherwise massive and empty room. Avalia wished they could get a different table. She hated having to yell over the rows of chairs just to be heard. Her voice almost seemed to echo.

"I have enough self-control mother. Besides, the warmages say it's a good thing. When I get sent out into the field that anger will be a driving force for my magic. You call them outbursts, but my teachers say they could be the difference between life and death." Avalia sipped at her soup, already anticipating her mother's reaction.

"That's not teaching you magic," Mordra spat, "That's teaching you to be a reactionary weapon."

Avalia had nothing to say. She'd had this conversation with her mother on more than one occasion. To an extent, she knew her mother was right. She didn't like the idea of going into the military. She'd have been happy just staying in her country and studying. Though she was very keen on the notion of traveling, she wasn't sure how she'd fare in a skirmish with the Alliance. Either way it wasn't going to happen. Her condition would never allow it.

"You know," Mordra said slowly, "the Nightborne are opening a new school of magic in the Royal Exchange. Maybe a change of pace would be good for you."

Despite her indifference, Avalia let a small smile take her face.

"Is this your way of telling me you already switched me into it?" she asked.

"Maybe?" Mordra said, smiling. "I think you'll like it. I spoke with one of the tutors there, and she agreed with me. In fact, she seemed quite horrified when I told her what your teachers said about your lack of control."

"It's not that bad." Avalia mumbled. It was that bad, but she had grown tired of poking at it.

"Really?" her mother said, "Is that why you set the curtains on fire two days ago? Because your control is absolutely stellar?" The question had Avalia staring down into her dish. Her mother was very good at making her feel like a child. Well into her adulthood, Avalia still felt like she was five on a regular basis. She could have said several things. She was certain it wasn't legal for her mother to switch her schools like that, she was an adult now. She had the right to seek out work and leave the house. She could point out that everyone else who'd ever tried to "help" failed miserably. But that would hurt her mother, and that wouldn't be fair. She knew that her mother only did what she did because she cared, and as much as she didn't want to admit it, Avalia knew that Mordra was right.

It wasn't normal for young women to spontaneously erupt into flame. Though they had yet to find any solutions, it would help nothing to just ignore it.

Avalia said nothing else, only let her mother drone on and on until it was time for her to go accompany Nymera to school. Avalia sighed and went up to her bedroom, flopping onto the fireproof blankets on her circular bed and doing her best to simply breathe. In and out, she wasn't going to explode. At the very least, that's what she tried to tell herself.

/*\

It had been so very long since Visaryth had seen the stars. The shield had been taken down for several months now, but after ten thousand years under the cover of darkness it didn't take much for him to while away the days and nights simply staring upward. He trekked his way through Quel'thalas, taking the road to Silvermoon. He had been eager to travel after all the time wasted cooped up in Suramar.

Though he wouldn't lie. Visaryth was entirely baffled by the complete lack of regard for sophistication. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen anyone use a bow, or train animals instead of enchanting them. _But then, _he thought, _this is one of the strongest nations in Azeroth. If they want to use bows and spend time training animals, it must be for a reason. _

He took a second to rest under one of the autumnal trees that decorated the landscape, just beside the dead scar where minor undead creatures inconvenienced the citizens of the countryside. He hoped he'd like the job that he'd been recommended for. It would be a welcome change of pace. After wandering the same streets for so many thousands of years he had been itching for the chance to get away. For a split second, the notion of never returning to Suramar seemed an appealing one. He'd spent enough time there.

The only thing that left him nervous was the job. It had been one of the first things that First Arcanist Thalyssra had suggested to the Horde's leaders upon the introduction of the Nightborne. She had noticed that a great deal of Highborne magic had been lost, the knowledge likely destroyed by the kal'dorei. She had desperately wanted to set up her own schools of magic throughout the Horde, and the people of Quel'thalas had been the only ones to accept the suggestion. He might have been recommended for the job as a tutor for the sin'dorei, but he still had to be approved by none other than the First Arcanist herself.

It made sense. Given that this was her own first impression as a leader, she would do everything in her power to ensure things went smoothly. If she had even the faintest suspicion of him, he would be sent home again. He glared at the front gate of the city, his black hair falling over his face. He almost didn't want to go in, but if he didn't go in then he most certainly wouldn't get the job. Then he would have to go home, the very thing he didn't want to happen the most.

Reluctantly, Visaryth stood up, waving a hand. His magic engulfed him and made him presentable. Not a single speck of dust tarnished his impeccable robes. His blackened locks flowed down his shoulder, perfectly smooth. His eyes flared with power, and the arcane tattoos on his face glowed. Thalyssra needed to make a good impression on the Horde. He needed to do the same.

/*\

Silvermoon was everything he'd been told it would be and more. The buildings stood tall and white, trimmed with a lustrous shade of red. Statues of men and women alike adorned walls and walkways. He could spy people talking softly together by the fountains, voices drowned out by the gentle song of the water. He consulted his map and made his way to the school.

It was his understanding that the Royal Exchange was one of the nicer parts of the city. The roads were well-kept, and the people were dressed nicely. That was a good sign in his eyes. The school itself seemed to be embedded to the west of the square. It sat right next to the bank, shimmering silver curtains hanging in the doorway. The insignia of the Dusk Lily stood proudly above, letting all passerby know just who owned the business. Visaryth pushed the fabric aside, only to find six more Nightborne waiting at the side of the wall. The school was just as he'd expected. Soft mats on the floor for sitting and listening. Bookshelves lined walls for studying. An open space near the front for experimental sparring.

The space looked the smallest bit cramped and bare bones but as he waited for his turn, he felt his mind racing. He analyzed the space to the best of his ability, trying to think of all the things he could do to maximize its usefulness. He took a moment to go over his experiences teaching, but that was excessive amount of time. He just had to calm down. That was it.

As he watched tutor after tutor walk into the back room and listened to their voices, he told himself to calm down. Everything would be fine. He wasn't going to go back to Suramar any time soon. It would be okay. And it was.

The interview seemed to go fine. The First Arcanist was not nearly as terrifying as he thought she would be. In the end she thought that he'd be a good fit, particularly for one student who'd been enrolled nearly as soon as the school had been announced. Avalia Sunpool. It was his understanding that her mother had donated a sizeable portion of the books they possessed. They were all on loan, and the First Arcanist made a point to mention that they were all enchanted with fireproofing spells. As he looked through her file, he felt his brows furrow. It wasn't often that people could use magic without meaning to, especially when under duress.

"First Arcanist, not to be indelicate but is it possible that this student might have OAMS?" Visaryth asked.

"I wondered that myself." She responded. "You're the only tutor here who has experience with these kinds of students. When I broached the subject with our patrons, they didn't seem to have any knowledge of the condition."

"Likely yet another piece of information the kal'dorei destroyed." He murmured absently. "I wouldn't be surprised if she was living with some very debilitating effects."

"Last I heard, her mother has to replace all manner of fabrics and furniture every few days." Thalyssra's tone had taken on a serious note. She rested her face in her hands, studying Visaryth intently. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to say.

"OAMS is a terrible thing to have, much less when one has fire magic. I'll need to spend some time with her in person to tell. I need to see how these 'outbursts' work." He was stretching, but the First Arcanist smiled.

He'd done it. He got the job, on the condition that he work with a physician regarding the student's potential condition. He didn't think it would be that hard, but he had been telling the truth. He'd had students before with this problem, but he'd never dealt with one who was naturally predisposed to fire.

/*\

Avalia stared at the school from a distance. She strongly considered just turning around and spending the day out in the forest. She never exploded when she went for a walk by the river, completely isolated save for the stray treants and lynxes. Yet, that wasn't a long-term solution. Mordra had told her that the Nightborne might be able to help, and if she spent any more time worrying about whether she went in she just might burn up the inn at her back.

Her mother would be upset indeed if she burned down one of the businesses in the capital.

She could feel her brows furrow as she stared at the shimmering silver of the curtain, stray sin'dorei wandering in as the morning grew later and later. She was meant to be there at noon and judging by the position that the sun took in the sky, it was right about that time. She took a deep breath, and trudged onward.

She'd heard that some of the students from her previous school had transferred to the new Nightborne academy for the sole purpose of getting away from her and her explosions. She likely wouldn't get a warm welcome, but it hardly mattered. She only had one more year until she finished her academics and could go out into the world. She could find some isolated mountain in Northrend to build a little house on, and when she burned it down again and again there would be no one else around to get hurt.

That was the life she'd have to live, because her mother was wrong. Nervousness and anger weren't the only things that caused her to lose control. Sometimes there was no cause at all, and her mother would hear none of it.

She tried to be as silent as possible. She slunk her way around the back of the room, hiding next to a bookcase. One of the Nightborne instructors nodded her head in greeting, but thankfully didn't try to talk to her.

The other students were too preoccupied to notice her. A few of the female students were very engaged in a conversation with a very pretty man, asking questions about Suramar. The male students were clustered together, whispering among themselves while throwing glances at a woman who was at least two heads taller than any of them. It was right then that one recognized her. She saw it, the familiar look of concern and horror on the stupid boy's face. She could feel her eyes widen, she subtly shook her head no.

_Don't do it, _she thought, _don't you fucking dare–_

But he did dare.

"Why the hell are you here?" he asked, pointing accusingly. This wasn't an unexpected development, but she sincerely wished it hadn't happened so soon.

"Because I'm a better mage than you." Avalia said. One of the girls wrinkled her nose.

"Just try not to blow the place up please." She muttered. "The school only just opened."

And just like that, the energy in the room completely changed. Everyone had gone silent, staring at her. The sin'dorei students waiting to see if she'd lose her composure. The Nightborne looked at her with confusion. One person still glared angrily at the other students. Students who were waiting to see if she'd do what she was infamous for.

For once, they didn't get what they wanted. Soon enough they grew bored and returned to their mingling. It wasn't until she caught sight of a girl whispering to the male tutor's ear and gesturing at her that she felt her heart sink. It wasn't like the tutors wouldn't find out, but still. It was humiliating. She did her best to remain calm. She prayed that the class would start soon, and that it would be over just as quickly.

She wasn't sure why her mother wouldn't agree to get her a private teacher. That would make her life so much easier. The absurdly tall woman next to her tapped her shoulder. She was pretty, the woman. The same shade of violet as the one who'd been in the royal quarters that day several weeks ago. When she smiled Avalia spied fangs. Pale hair was kept neatly short, and her arcane eyes glowed with friendly light.

"So, you're Avalia I take it?" She inquired softly, offering a hand.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I don't want to accidentally set you on fire. If you know my name, then you probably know quite a bit more about my reputation?" Avalia said, her gaze sliding toward the ground.

"Involuntary pyromania?" the woman said, not unkindly. "It's okay. In fact, one of our tutors is here specially for you. The First Arcanist thinks he might be able to help you with that."

"I appreciate the sentiment but lots of people have tried to help already. If anything, they made it worse." Avalia said.

She did her best to hide her ambivalence. She should have known that her mother would try this again. She always fell for it. Someone promising to help, only to take their gold and bail as soon as it became apparent that nothing could be done. She felt her heart sink immediately and judging by the look the violet woman took on her face, it showed.

"Well my name is Tirelli. If you find you don't like this new tutor, I'm sure we can figure it out for you, but I can assure you he's very nice. I've worked with him before. His specialty is students who cannot control their power."

But Avalia had long since become disinterested. She let the woman ramble, smiling and nodding politely until a magical timer dinged, creating a barrier in the doorway and succinctly eliminating any possibility of escape.

She assumed that this first day would be fine. That it would merely be introductions and the assigning of books. But that wasn't it at all. Instead, the male tutor – the one the girls had crowded around – called attention to himself.

"Hello everyone. My name is Visaryth Thal'dereux. Today I want to see just how adept with magic you are. One by one you are going to attack me, and I think I want to start with you."

He pointed at her. Avalia recognized the behavior. Arrogant. Smug. Doubtful of her power. If there was one thing that Avalia knew about herself, it was that – despite her magnanimous lack of control – she was good at magic.

"Are you sure about that? It would impede your teaching abilities greatly if I down you in one hit." She answered as evenly as possible. Visaryth laughed.

"Don't worry, I doubt you could hurt me." He said. The room was silent. Apprehensive. Each student backed away as far as they could into the walls when she emerged from her spot in the back. Even if Visaryth didn't, they all knew her and thus knew better. She walked to the front, until she was face-to-chest with the newcomer. Though frustrated with how far she had to crane her neck up at him, she faced him with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Just let me know when." She said.

/*\

Visaryth liked her. Avalia had all the social hallmarks of the sickness thus far. She'd been ostracized for her power, but no one dared to approach her. Instead they insulted her from afar when they thought she couldn't hear. They didn't particularly like her, but they had a healthy amount of respect for her magic. As Visaryth watched her come closer he took note of how the other students reacted, backing up into the walls. Staying out of the blast zone in case she unexpectedly erupted into flame. He noticed his colleagues muttering amongst themselves, staring at him.

They likely questioned his decision. It was hardly kind to single out a student who was already having issues controlling her power, but they'd get the chance to laugh at him soon enough.

As she approached, he couldn't help but notice her features. Dark circles lined her golden eyes, but it was the only imperfection he found. Sleeplessness was a symptom, but everything else about her was immaculate. She'd woven locks of brown hair into small braids, some holding silver cuffs. Her sleeved robes were dark with minimal detailing and entirely wrinkle free. She'd brought along a simple wand and the plainest spell book he'd ever seen in his life. She looked like a beginner at best. Likely by design. As she stared him down, he tried to hold back his laughter.

She was positively miniscule. Though he knew she'd likely break some of his bones before all this was over, he still couldn't stifle the thought that she was cute. Not a good thought to have about a student, but the moment he fixed her she'd be on her way and he'd never see her again. That was fine.

"What I want you to do, Miss Sunpool," he said, "Is to hit me as hard as you can with any spell you choose."

Her eyes widened. It was so quiet in the room that he could have heard a pen drop.

"If I hit you as hard as I possibly can, then I'll be headed to the dungeons for murder." She said, her face conveying the utmost seriousness. Visaryth shook his head, smiling.

"I've been doing this for ten thousand years Miss. I assure you I can take whatever you throw at me." He reassured. Her brow quirked.

"Funny, you don't look a day over nine thousand." She quipped. "Alright, but I'm not going to hit you as hard as I possibly can. I want you to survive so I can say, 'I told you so.'"

Before he knew it, he'd been launched backward. He couldn't help the startled yelp as a fireball slammed him square in the chest into the stone wall, singing his robes and flesh. He both heard and felt something crack just before he fell to the floor, and it took him a few moments to collect himself. He could feel the familiar rise of blood in the back of his throat. He was down long enough that Tirelli rushed over to him, attempting to help him to his feet. He waved her off, laughing.

"That was definitely a good hit Miss Sunpool," he said, covertly hiding his hand behind his back. This next step was crucial, "But what will you do if I fight back?"

/*\

Avalia immediately decided she did not like Visaryth. She had hit him as promised, but unlike the other tutors she'd had, he did not back down. He commended her effort, but he had a look in his eye that made her stomach turn.

It certainly didn't help that he was so much bigger than her. She felt like a dwarf next to him, and it also didn't help that he was likely one of the prettiest people she'd ever seen. She could easily envision him as a student, getting away with whatever he pleased with only a sweet, fanged smile. It was satisfying to watch him as he coughed, the smallest amount of blood catching in his raven-black hair.

She felt her eyebrows shoot up when he made mention of fighting back. He was internally bleeding, a single hand clutching his abdomen. He should have been relinquishing the class to another tutor and heading to the hospital, not continuing the sparring session. Yet he bared his fangs. The arcane tattoos on his face glowed, and he lobbed an arcane bolt at her.

Avalia barely managed to dodge, and she threw up a shield as she tried to figure out her next move. If she hit him again, she would be in so much trouble. Her mother would kill her if she put another tutor in the hospital, and in front of all these people to boot.

"You're coughing blood, why are you still fighting?" she squeaked.

"Because," Visaryth said, "in a real fight your opponent won't go down until one of you has died." He used another wave of magic, fracturing her shield.

"Listen. You're kind of a dick, but this isn't a real fight. I'm not going to hit you back."

He laughed, but otherwise didn't respond. Only hitting the shield again and again until he had her backed up against the wall. At that point she had no choice.

As much as Avalia had enjoyed using her magic, as proud as she was to have kept control under such duress for so long, it had to come to an end at some point. It was just a shame that it had to be because of an arrogant Nightborne who'd convinced Mordra that he could help her. If anything, all he'd done was publicly shame her.

What the other students had been waiting for happened. She exploded. Fire licked the walls up the bookcases. The single podium at the front of the room burned to ash in moments. Despite her panic, despite the screaming of the students as they pounded on the barrier, she couldn't help but notice that nothing else was touched. Everything except that piece of wood had been fireproofed.

"You wanted this to happen." She growled, glaring for all she was worth at the tutor hiding behind his own shield.

"I am sorry about this. I know it must be beyond embarrassing." He placated. "But this needed to happen in order for me to make a diagnosis."

"Huh?" she asked. Visaryth took the smallest of steps closer, blood still dripping down his chin and marring his silver tunic.

"We'll speak about it after class."

He tapped her nose and suddenly she was once again at the back of the room. He had returned to the front; the blood having vanished. He stood tall and straight; his wounded ribs repaired. The fire had evaporated, and everyone in the room was calm. No screaming, no unpleasant whispering, nothing. She felt the realization fall on her like one of the trains the goblins liked to build.

_Chronomancy, _she thought as Visaryth recited his introduction again, instead choosing a different student to spar with, _no one else remembers what just happened. _He was more powerful than he'd let on. Much more powerful.

She knew it was just her imagination, a trick of the light, but she could have sworn he winked at her.

/*\

"What you have is known as Overactive Mana Syndrome." Visaryth explained. Avalia had been the only one to remain after the class ended, but then he had asked her to. He did not ask her to spar with him the second time around. He didn't think he'd be able to reverse the broken rib again. She studied him silently, appraising him it seemed. He tried not to let her gaze unnerve him.

"What does that mean?" she asked slowly, glaring as though she suspected wrongdoing. He almost felt insulted.

"It means that your body uses mana more efficiently, which is much better in theory than in practice. For instance, a spell like Blink. How much mana does that take for a normal person?"

"For an elf? Two percent." She rattled off the fact easily, though her face still spoke of confusion.

"Well, for you it would take maybe half a percent. You can use magic much more than any of the rest of your peers. That's why you spontaneously blow up sometimes. You're not expending enough mana, and your body isn't understanding that you can't hold any more of it." He explained. Very gently he reached out for her hand. She pointedly looked away as he pushed the sleeve up. Just as he thought. Bruises marred her pale skin, the mana sparking unpleasantly beneath the injuries. It wasn't the worst case he'd seen, but she would be on a long road to recovery.

He couldn't imagine the kind of pain she was in on a day to day basis.

"So, what should I do to fix it? Spellwork takes time, and I don't know if you've noticed, but my particular brand of magic is somewhat destructive." She said. She was quick to pull her sleeve back down. Her face spoke of shame. He talked as he turned to a dinky supply cabinet.

"That's something I can help you with easily. I can teach you a variety of spells that are simple, quick, and will expend a lot of mana instantly." He said, sorting through various glass bottles. "Levitation, intermediate invisibility, concentrated mana crystals," he could have gone on much further had it not been for her interruption.

"How do you know so much about this? My entire life I've had this problem, and no one has ever been able to fix it." Avalia said. She frowned at him. "How do I know you're not just another con?"

Her words sent a jolt through him, and it was unpleasant indeed. He felt his face contort, but he did his best to school it back into neutrality. He strode over to her and before she had the chance to turn away, he grabbed her chin with his fingers.

"Because, once upon a time, this was a common ailment for the Nightborne. Why do you think we do everything with magic?"

She blinked and apologized softly. He pressed a small glass jar into her hands.

"This will help the bruises heal. Use it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night." He muttered. For a second she was silent. She asked to go through the list of spells, anything that could keep her from wrecking her house for another day or two. Her voice was soft. She wouldn't look him in the eye. A small wave of guilt rolled over him as he wondered if he hadn't been a bit harsh, but he made no mention of it. She had finally seemed to grow comfortable the further they got away from the subject, asking questions about the instructions he gave her.

Once the girl went on her way, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Tirelli.

"That wasn't very nice Visaryth." She growled. "The kal'dorei destroyed everything they knew about mana-based afflictions. She is both sick and wealthy and no one knows what's wrong with her. It doesn't surprise me that people have tried to take advantage before."

"I know," he muttered, "I'll be sure to apologize to her. I just…take it a little personally when people question my integrity."

Tirelli appraised him, but she didn't push the issue. Instead she placed a hand on his arm.

"We're all going to the tavern across the way. Celebrating a successful first day of school and all that. Maybe you should come." She said. She gave him a wicked smile, and he couldn't help grinning back.

A little bit of fun with Tirelli was an appealing thought, but he had to keep professionalism in mind. It was nice to think about though, and just because he couldn't follow her into a room it didn't mean they couldn't have fun in other ways. So, he agreed. He followed her to the tavern and put all thoughts of Avalia out of his mind.

**/*\**

**I am extremely biased when it comes to Thalyssra and the Nightborne. Sorrynotsorry.**

**-Statyck**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

**-Statyck**

**/*\**

Avalia thought about it for a moment. She wasn't sure how this would end but she burst into the room anyway. She had to at least say it.

"I want a different tutor." She blurted, staring down her mother with what she hoped was confidence. She felt beyond tense, her fingers curled into fists and her shoulders standing rigid. She watched as Mordra didn't even look up from her book.

"It's only the first day. No." She said.

"He is not qualified to be my teacher," Avalia argued, "He is unprofessional in almost every sense of the word."

"Is that why he was able to give you a clear diagnosis, a lesson plan, and a jar of healing salve for your injuries?" Mordra asked, taking a sip of coffee as Avalia gaped at her.

"How–" But Avalia couldn't even finish her question.

"Because one of the tutors arrived to explain the situation." Mordra stood up, taking Avalia's hand in hers. "She told me what happened, and I will be honest. I had half a mind to march down to the school and burn his eyebrows off. But then she told me what was wrong with you. She told me that the incident in question helped them figure out what the problem is, and she promised it would never happen again."

Avalia had no idea what to say. It was so unlike her mother to put up with this kind of thing. For a wild moment she wondered if a stranger was in her house disguised as Mordra, attempting to intervene before Avalia had the chance to complain. But that was an absurd thought, so she simply stared with wide eyes.

"How are you so okay with this? You're carrying on all the time that I still need help."

Mordra shrugged and returned to her chair, picking her book back up.

"You do need to learn to toughen up, Little Star," she said gently, "You need to learn to overcome certain discomforts. As much as I did question the decision that man made, he was careful to ensure that no one got hurt and that you were spared any humiliation. Unlike anyone before he's been able to give us a clear answer."

_Us or you?_ Avalia thought, but it hardly mattered.

It wasn't normal that Mordra wouldn't help her. In fact, it was practically unheard of for her mother not to intervene in every situation possible. She had gone to scream at her professors on more than one occasion, ever since she was small, and her explosions had gotten worse. If she didn't believe that the Nightborne had done something wrong, then what was Avalia supposed to think? Should she stick to her convictions, or cave to her mother's opinion?

Ultimately, she decided it wasn't worth thinking about. She would have to deal with Visaryth on her own.

_But then, _she thought as she made her way to the kitchen, _I am technically an adult. I don't have to do what my mother says. I could just go to the head and ask for someone else. Tirelli said that was something I could do with no problem. _

As she filled the kettle, she dismissed the idea. There was no telling what Mordra would do if Avalia defied her. She had never actually threatened to throw Avalia out. In fact, her mother would likely take great offense to the thought. That didn't mean Avalia was oblivious, however. She knew her family suffered because of her, her younger sister especially. She knew that her mother had grown worn out, entirely exhausted of dealing with the people who were supposed to help her but refused. Her mother was on the verge of breaking, and there was no telling what she'd do when that happened.

As much as she insisted that she wasn't okay with the notion of letting Avalia live on her own due to her health concerns, Avalia knew that wouldn't last forever. She knew that Mordra was getting older, more tired. She knew that Mordra wouldn't be able to deal with this for nearly as long as she said she could. She wanted Avalia to get better, and if Mordra thought her daughter was sabotaging herself in any way then there would be hell to pay. On the off chance that Avalia got thrown out, she'd never be able to take care of herself. Mordra had always made a point of doing everything for her.

So, for now Avalia poured her tea into the delicate cup and seethed. She would just have to put up with Visaryth until she graduated and acquired her credentials. Then she could get her own little house in the middle of nowhere and be done with everything and everyone. She just had to make it for a few more months. It was all she could do.

/*\

People chattered about happily in the small tavern, the scent of wine and smoke wafting on the air. Visaryth was content to relax in one of the plush chairs at a small table in the back, cozily tucked into a corner as his colleagues surrounded him. Tirelli nudged his shoulder as the barmaid walked away, having just deposited their drinks.

"So, what do you think of that student of yours?" she inquired, "I knew she was likely going to be angry about your stunt, so I took the liberty of sending a messenger to her mother."

Visaryth grinned. He opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted. Kelara's eyes flashed angrily and she waved her fork at him.

"You're lucky she did too," the woman growled, "That woman was prepared to kill you. It took me a full half an hour to convince her not to come to the school. You owe me so hard."

Visaryth laughed, waving Kelara off.

"It needed to happen. But how did you know? It was supposed to be only me and that girl who remembered." He asked, sipping his drink from an ice-cold glass.

"We're immune to your chronomancy. We had to let the First Arcanist cast a protection on us. It was a condition for being able to work in the same space as you." Tirelli answered absently, her attention caught by something across the room. When Visaryth looked in the same direction he found a blood elf staring back at her. As he watched Tirelli smile at him, Visaryth had to stave down the wave of jealously in his stomach. It was unprofessional. All the same, he tapped her arm and caught her attention.

"To be honest with you, she seems okay. Fun to tease. I am concerned about the fire, however. It would be very easy for her to hurt someone."

"Well you can't be teasing your students Visaryth. It could be mistaken for flirting, especially since we're in a new country." She pointed out, waving her finger at him. "Now if you'll excuse me, these are my off hours and that blood elf over there is _very _cute." She took her glass and left, and Visaryth knew he was glaring as she walked over to chat up a man who was a whole head shorter than her.

"Well you owe me ten gold Thaldris, she didn't even last twenty minutes." Kelara quipped, staring expectantly at the other man opposite her. He grumbled to himself but remained true to his word, reluctantly dropping the pieces onto the table. She sipped her wine happily, remarking that the cash would be enough to rent a room for the night.

"What's wrong with your own quarters?" Visaryth asked, trying to avert his gaze from Tirelli's exploits. Unfortunately, he still saw her drag her finger down the other man's chest.

"Nothing!" Kelara exclaimed, a strained smile taking her face. "It's just a curiosity thing. They have no doors here, and so I wondered if perhaps the doorways were enchanted."

"You could just ask the innkeeper to tell you. You don't have to actually rent a room." Visaryth pressed. Kelara shrugged.

"The beds look comfy. Anyhow it might be fun, after all Tirelli seems to be having a nice time with the locals. Maybe I should follow her lead." She winked and deftly stood up, taking her wine glass with her. Visaryth felt his spine prickle. It was right then that he saw the woman in question link arms with the blood elf, her bobbed hair bouncing as the shorter elf led her up the steep ramp.

Just like that his mood soured. It had been a long time, but there was still some angry part of him that said Tirelli should have been going to bed with _him. _He felt Thaldris nudge his shoulder.

"You know, you could go along too. A lot of the women here are staring. I think they're interested in what the Nightborne might have to offer, if you catch my drift." He winked at him and Visaryth couldn't help but grin.

"I'm sure they are, but I don't think I'm in the mood tonight. You should go talk to someone. They might be impressed enough with you that you just might get more than one girl on your arm."

Thaldris rolled his eyes, his ponytail doing nothing to hide the dark blush on his face. Visaryth laughed and bade him goodbye, before downing his glass and walking out of the inn. He wondered if a walk wouldn't do him some good. Besides, it would be fun to see more of the city and the forest. He had only seen the roads and heard that there were some trails up along the river. The weather was nice enough that it could be worth investigating.

/*\

Avalia slammed the pick into the rock as hard as she could. She hadn't gone out for the specific task of mining ores, but it did her good at that very moment. It was a good way to get rid of her anger and even take her mind off the subject of school. It would be fine. It had to be. As she chipped away at the rock, doing her best not to waste the copper, she found that it was almost soothing.

There was some comfort in it. She finished her task and threw the copper pieces into her sack. Now her walk down the river could continue, and she could listen to the water race across the rocks. She could be at peace without any kind of interruption, and her mother wouldn't expect her back until night. She had several more hours to herself.

She strolled along the trail until she came upon a familiar boulder. There was a seat worn into it, after many long days of burning it had glazed over. Today wasn't much different. Avalia climbed on and got comfortable, sitting on the familiar glassed top. She sifted through the pack for the copper pieces she collected and let them melt into her hands. She pulled and twisted the metal to fit her desires, using her tiny tools to make little pendants and rings as she saw fit. She was on the cusp of finishing an interwoven bracelet when she caught the sound of footsteps behind her.

The tutor. Visaryth. He grinned at her.

"Fancy seeing you here." He greeted.

"What brings you out into the woods?" she mumbled as he approached. He just shrugged.

"I wanted to explore a bit. The other tutors are very preoccupied within the city."

He seemed innocuous enough but Avalia was completely on guard. There was no way she'd let anything slip by her, especially now that she knew what he could do. She had no idea how to defend herself from something like chronomancy, but perhaps if she paid attention, she'd be just a little bit safer in his presence. Especially since he'd caught her alone. Did he know she wanted to complain about him? It would explain the messenger.

Did she already say something, only to have him turn back time?

The silence was tense, as he just stood there staring at the river. She finished her bracelet and jumped off the rock. She dipped her hand with the glowing copper into the water, watching the steam erupt from her fingers as it cooled. She'd have loved to rip him a new one for what happened. Even if no one else remembered she could still feel the embarrassment and horror dragging her down like a stone in water.

"I am sorry about what happened Ms. Sunpool." He said softly, "I know it was probably a terrifying moment for you, but I promise it'll never happen again. I needed to know what you were capable of." Avalia whirled on him.

"Right, because just asking would have been too much work, right?" she snapped, "You know, for someone who claims to know all about this you don't seem to understand just how dangerous it can be. What would have happened if that chronomancy spell hadn't worked? What would you have done if someone died? Instead of getting help I'd be in prison. For a man who's ten thousand years old you don't seem to have a lot of sense."

For a moment his face contorted into something ugly, and Avalia's heart stopped. She should have paused to think before she spoke. Her mother scolded her for it all the time, and for a moment she wondered if this would be the day she got punished for it. It would be very easy for him to hurt her. She wasn't sure why she hadn't thought of that before. But then the wrath faded. He hung his head, shame hiding behind his dark hair.

"You are correct." He said, his voice nearly drowned out by the river. "I apologize. The truth is that I have dealt with this problem before. However, I've never dealt with someone who wields fire."

He sat on a boulder beside her, staring out at the water.

"Do people not use fire magic in Suramar?" she asked, chucking the cooled bracelet into her pack. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Not often. It's usually arcane, sometimes ice, and even when someone can't quite control it it's not that dangerous. It's easy to melt frost or reverse a time freezing spell. It should have occurred to me that I needed to deal with you differently."

"I'm glad to see you can own up to it." She mumbled. She sat back up on her rock and the awkward silence returned. She wondered if she should apologize to him, but she hadn't done anything wrong. _At least I don't think I did anything wrong. _She wasn't quite sure. She prepared to speak when she heard a trilling sound behind her.

It was just then that she was tackled, falling face forward toward the water. She could hear Visaryth yelling her name and leaping to her defense. Then she heard his voice reciting the words for a spell. She managed to throw her hand up and yell for him to stop right before he finished. It was just one of the friendlier feral dragonhawks, using its wing to crawl onto her body, getting all up in her face and singing for treats. She caught sight of him gaping.

"What do you mean it's friendly?" he exclaimed, his hands still glowing. His eyes glittered with alarm and Avalia waved him off. She stood back up, letting the animal wrap itself around her aching shoulders as she dug around in her pack for food. She fed the creature a small piece of jerky, making sure Visaryth could see.

"It's fine," she reassured, "they just get a little excitable sometimes." He hesitated but took a step closer. His alarm had quickly morphed to fascination. He made to reach forward and then quickly retreated, a flash of uncertainty crossing his face. Avalia stared at his hand curiously. He almost seemed vulnerable. It was like the concept of a friendly animal was entirely foreign to him. She could work with that.

"Here," she said, pulling another tasty morsel from her satchel, "give this to her. She knows not to bite the hand that feeds." She joked.

But Visaryth still hesitated. Why would he hesitate? If it went wrong, he could just turn back time. Couldn't he? But still he wavered. Avalia, acting purely on instinct, grabbed his arm. She stilled his shaking hand and he stared down at her astounded. She instructed him on the proper way to feed the animal, told him to keep his hand both flat and still. The dragonhawk could still hurt him without meaning to if his fingers were too close to the food. She let a small piece of jerky fall into his palm, smoothing his hand out with hers. She watched as he stared down the creature sitting on her shoulders, the little fins on its tail flitting excitedly. She watched Visaryth's face soften as it trilled happily, scooping up the food gently. She almost thought she caught him smiling as the creature shoved its face into his hand, aggressively demanding affection.

"I thought these creatures were wild." He said slowly, his facial neutrality returning.

"Yes and no," she answered simply, "They're very common pets here, but some of them are still wild. People like to feed them and play with them, so the wild ones learned that we're nothing to fear. I could never bring this one into my house or anything like that, but she's still social. She's in that in-between place, not domesticated but not quite feral anymore."

"Huh," Visaryth mumbled. He dropped his hand, holding both hands behind his back as the dragonhawk huffed indignantly. She stared at him incredulously, but then she remembered. He was ten thousand years old, but he'd been trapped in his city for the entirety of that time. Until the people of Azeroth came to help, he'd never even seen the wilds of his own land.

It was no wonder then, that he took a step backward.

/*\

Visaryth stared at her uncertainly. Yes, he was old. Yes, he was well-versed in magic, but something that a lot of people seemed to forget was just how long he and the others had been trapped in Suramar. Just the day before he had to ask what a pickaxe was. A man two feet shorter than him laughed in his face. As she stared at him, amusement written all over her features, he felt an increasing desire to run away. He'd had moments since his arrival that made him wonder if he should have just stayed in Suramar, in the library rereading all the books for the thousandth time.

That was no way to live. But Azeroth had become a treacherous place to explore. Instead of ridiculing him, Avalia surprised him. She told him about the creature that had wrapped itself around her bruised body. He wondered how it didn't hurt when she grabbed his arm and she showed him how to feed it. As he scratched the…bird? Reptile? Whatever it was, he scratched it beneath the chin. And it worked. He couldn't help the smile that adorned his face as the strange animal trilled happily. For a moment it reminded him of a cat, a cat with a funny purr. One he got over the novelty of it all he quickly realized that his student looked very smug. He couldn't help but think about how the women in his classroom had reacted to him. Talking to him, blushing when he responded. He found himself wondering if she was just as fascinated by him as they had been, and a brief streak of panic ran through him as he realized he _wanted _her to be fascinated with him. Discomfort gripped his breath, and he retreated.

"This changes nothing," he grumbled, "I'm still your teacher. We aren't friends."

"I never said we were," she answered cheerfully, "It is, however, reassuring that you can admit your own failings. Perhaps I'll be able to earn my title of Magistrix with some of my dignity intact."

The orange bird – at least he was mostly certain it was a bird – trilled and flew off somewhere. Back to its nest? Did they even make nests? He'd have to look it up. For the time being he leaned against a tree by the river and watched as Avalia continued her task, twisting metal in her fiery fingers. He stared after the water, the sound calming in the golden colors of the forest. He was grateful that nothing had happened. Her voice jarred him away from his thoughts.

"So why do you smell like booze? Or is that too personal?" she asked. She didn't even look up at him, only focusing on implanting a small purple jewel into a ring. Visaryth felt his heart freeze.

Why was he out here? Why had he decided to talk to her? Why had he let himself get so physically close to her? That one inquiry answered each and every one of those questions. He had been drinking. He didn't feel drunk, but he couldn't help but wonder if those few glasses of wine might have impaired his judgement somehow. It certainly didn't help that he couldn't get Tirelli out of his head. It didn't help that he couldn't get _Avalia _out of his head.

_Sunpool. _He thought. _Ms. Sunpool. I must be professional. _

He just shrugged.

"I'm off duty, I can drink if I please." He supposed his voice had been gruff, his answer brusque. It was enough of a difference that it caught her attention, causing her to raise a single overlong eyebrow.

"Alright," she answered slowly, "I see. I mean I can't blame you. Public intoxication _is _technically a crime."

Was she serious? As a spike of concern constricted his stomach, threatening to push his dinner back up his gullet, he thought he found the answer. No. She couldn't be serious. There were people out there committing far worse crimes than having a few drinks. There was no way the city guards would waste their time on drunkards. It had to be a joke, a very bad joke.

"That's not funny Ms. Sunpool." He growled.

"I'm not joking," she answered simply, "You're not being loud and obnoxious, so I doubt they'll take notice of you. Even if they do the first offense is let go with a warning, especially since you're so new in Silvermoon."

"How do you know so much about it?" he grumbled, furrowing his eyebrows at her. She looked up from her task, pausing long enough that the delicate wire weave in her hand looked as though it might melt away.

"I mean. I live here Visaryth." She said. Her brows had furrowed and judging by the tensing of her arms and shoulders he'd made her uncomfortable. The man felt a drop of sweat roll down his back. He should not like it that much when she said his name, and shame rolled through his stomach. He'd only known her a few hours, not even a full day. He let his mind fly back to Tirelli for a moment, and the rage welled up once more. That's all it was. Jealousy and lust, swirling unpleasantly together. It just so happened that Avalia was the one sitting in front of him and not a pretty tavern girl. That had to be it, and he couldn't help but wince internally as he heard the sharpness of his tone.

"That's Mr. Thal'dereaux to you." He snapped. But she didn't recoil, instead abandoning her project and leaning forward. With her chin in hand she stared at him curiously.

"That's an odd change of pace. Alright Mr. Thal'dereaux, if that's what you want to be called then why didn't you say so in class today?" She challenged. Before he could say anything, she leapt off the rock and stowed away her things.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I feel an explosion coming on," she deadpanned. Sure enough, as she walked away, her tiny frame burst into flame.

/*\

Avalia seethed. That was the first time she'd ever blown up that way while she was walking by the river. She'd always wondered if stress had something to do with her condition, and today that theory had been proven. She tried to breathe. In and out. In and out. Soon she felt herself calm. She marched back to her house and stormed up to her room. There was no one home, so she could collapse onto her bed and cry in frustration.

At the very least her mother had always told her that it was good to get it all out before it had the chance to build up and explode. Avalia could understand why no one wanted that to happen. She sat up and mulled over her options. She couldn't exactly get rid of him. Even if she tried to say that she didn't feel he fit well as her teacher he would likely still be teaching in the same space, and if his behavior today was any indication, she could easily see him holding one hell of a grudge.

She sighed and went to the kitchen, looking for anything she could snack on while she attended to her homework. Runes were easy, even when they were as advanced as the homework called for. She'd have it knocked out in ten minutes or less. Perhaps this would give her more time to establish a plan of action. It was just then that she bumped into a small table, biting back a cry of pain as tears welled up in her eyes.

She wasn't bleeding but the unpleasant bluish-purple hue of the bruises did nothing for her morale. She could feel the pinpricks behind her eyes as she struggled not to cry. It would be amiss for her to say that she didn't notice the bruises anymore. Of course, she did, but they had long since ceased hurting too much so long as she didn't bother them. As she got her emotions under control, she poked through the pantry. After the day she'd had she deserved to have some cake with her afternoon tea.

Once she made it back up to her room, she sipped her beverage and sighed. She moved to grab something from her backpack when the jar fell out. She picked it up, the salve glowing a soft blue color. The shade of moonlight. She wondered if it would do anything for the throbbing on her legs, her thighs, her back. She opened the jar and took a sniff. It wasn't unpleasant. If anything, it smelled like a regular luxury lotion like they sold in the bazaar. Not medicinal at all. She could feel her brows knit in worry. Maybe it really was just another scam. Maybe nothing would come of this at all.

_But then, _she thought, _I heard they were very spoiled people. They likely wouldn't enjoy the normal medicine smells. _

It wouldn't be productive to panic just yet. So, she scooped some of the flowery medicine from the jar, the sigil of the Dusk Lily glittering in the light. She prayed to whatever would listen that it would work. As she shed her clothes, rubbing it into her wounds, she thought she could feel the pain numbing. For a moment she let the hope flit through her chest. As she watched the mana float away off her person, she noticed that the bruises had lightened in color. Her flesh sparked significantly less, and for a moment she believed it had worked. When she picked her dress up off the ground and let it slide back over her skin it didn't ache.

She thought she might truly be able to sleep tonight, and that thought alone excited her to no end. For a split second she thought about abandoning her minor homework completely and simply having an early night. Reluctantly, she opened her books and got to work. She could go to sleep once she'd created an appropriately complex frost rune, arcane rune, and fire rune.

/*\

Visaryth sincerely wished he'd gotten a room at the inn. He'd gotten an earful when he finally made it back to the shared dorm. Tirelli had stared him down angrily, her liaison with the blood elf having ended. Though her hair was mussed, and she had bruises forming all along her neck she stared at him as though he'd been the one who did something wrong. He hadn't, and though the voice in the back of his mind spit vile words neither had she.

"So, someone spotted you harassing that girl." She snarled; arms crossed.

"I wasn't harassing anyone." He spat back. "I went for a walk and she was sitting by the river."

"Really?" she challenged, "Then why did she stomp away aflame?"

"How am I supposed to know? She's weird!" he said. He turned away angrily, and though he knew he was acting like a petulant child he didn't have it in him to ignore Tirelli's anger.

"If you keep poking at her," Tirelli said, "you're going to get into a lot of trouble. It's only been a day and already Kelara and I have had to save your ass from that girl and her family."

"I already told you, that was a one-time incident." Visaryth said, "And not that it's any of your business, but I'll have you know that I made a point to apologize to her for that."

"Did you now?" she asked, her eyes narrowing, "How unusual." She spat. Before he got the chance to say anything else, she marched away. Her door soon slammed behind her. He felt someone tap his shoulder and when he turned, he found Thaldris smiling sympathetically.

"I think that went well." He remarked. Visaryth rolled his eyes and walked away. Thaldris didn't let him get far. "Wait! Wait I still have something to say. It wasn't someone who saw you, it was a familiar."

"Whose familiar?" Visaryth growled. Thaldris shook his head.

"I'm sworn to secrecy on that front, for the purpose of keeping the peace in the university." He drawled loudly. Then he leaned in and whispered. "Kelara."

"Then you know I didn't do anything wrong." He hissed.

"Please. We watched the whole thing. The way you lost your cool at the end was positively spectacular _Mr. Thal'dereaux._" He mocked. "Either way you're lucky she didn't burn you alive."

"Maybe" Visaryth grumbled. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

And with that he marched into his room and slammed the door behind him as Thaldris tried and failed to protest. Visaryth took a deep breath. He was just frustrated, if in multiple different ways. As he stared out his window it occurred to him that the night was still young. While it was certainly an option to stay inside and mope, it was also an option to return to the tavern. Thaldris hadn't been wrong. He'd noticed the stares, the odd attempt to flirt as he left just a few hours ago. He was certain that any number of beautiful women in the tavern might be willing to entertain him should he return. The more he thought about it the more appealing it sounded. He checked his wallet and grinned. He peeked out the door and, assured that no one was around, left.

He was going to get over Tirelli tonight, and perhaps banish Avalia from his mind as well. Then, tomorrow when he awoke, he could attend to his duties with a clearer mind.

**/*\**

**This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. **

**-Statyck**


End file.
